Desert
by wren10514
Summary: SG1HL crossover written for crossovers100 on LJ. Methos was Daniel's teacher almost 4000 years ago. Now exciting stuff is happening Daniel knows he would want to be involved.
1. Chapter 1

Crossover: HL/SG-1 (roughly series 6 SG-1!verse, end series 3 HL!verse)

Characters: Daniel, O'Neill, Methos

For prompt: 079 Desert

Summary: A discovery in the desert.

A/N: First in yet another series of ficlets – and yet again I have no firm plans…

A/N2: Hopefully this is clear that you're hearing on side of a conversation. I wasn't sure how to do the grammar/layout for it to make it clear. If anyone knows of a better/standard way let me know

"Adam? Finally! Do you know how impossible it is to track you down?

"Yes, I'm aware that that's the point but this is important!

"The noise? Oh, the sands are blowing up…

"That's because I'm not in Chicago anymore. I haven't been for some time.

"I'm in Egypt…

"Well if you'd let me get to the point! I'm on a dig for the military if you must know…

"The US military Methos. And no, I can't explain why…

"I'm well aware of how long we've been friends Methos, every minute is etched in my memory, but I can't tell you any more than that.

"Well then it sounds like this MacCleod has the right idea, if I didn't know you so well I would hope it might rub off on you. Since when do you socialise with others like us anyway?

"Huh. Who knew you could become so human…

"Ha ha! Anyway, the reason I've just spent two hours try to find you…

"I said you were hard to find! The point is I thought you might want to get out here.

"I know, I know 'the sand, the wind, the camels', you're as bad as Jack…

"My CO, but that's beside the point. Methos we've found Elana.

"…Because one of your journals was buried with her. I'm so sorry…

"Then berate me in person! I'll make sure you've got clearance to the dig. It sounds your latest incarnation can stand up to scrutiny if you're working for the watchers…

"…No, no one else knows can read it. I doubt I could have if you hadn't been my teacher: your handwriting is terrible.

"Ha ha! Ok, I'll expect you. You'll be Adam Pierson, consultant on ancient language and culture.

"It'll be good to see you too old friend. It's been too long…"

As Daniel put the phone down, a nostalgic smile on his face, O'Neill turned back into the blowing sand, towards his own tent ready for when Daniel came asking for clearance for the new consultant. Well this was interesting…he was looking forward to meeting Adam Pierson…or should he say Methos. Jack smiled as he thought of fun to come.


	2. Star

Crossover: HL/SG-1 (roughly series 6 SG-1!verse, end series 3 HL!verse)

Characters: Daniel, O'Neill, Methos

For prompt: 046 Star

Summary: Daniel and Methos share a moment under the stars NOT SLASH!

A/N: Second in yet another series of ficlets – and yet again I have no firm plans…

"This is a new look for you. I never saw you as the military sort."

Daniel turned, a grin already plastered to his face as he recognised the buzz of his old teacher. Laughing he swept the wiry man into an embrace, patting him on the back as he let go.

"It's good to see you! I didn't think you'd be here till morning."

"Well, what can I say, once the US military decide your needed it barely matters whether you're a citizen or not."

Daniel shook his head. "I'm sorry. These guys aren't exactly known for subtlety."

Methos glanced round him, noting the absurd amount of heavily armed guards for the middle of the night in the middle of the desert.

"Yes I can see. What's so important in a grave over four thousand years old that it needs this kind of protection?"

Daniel shook his head. "I'll have to check your clearance first…"

"Danny!"

Daniel turned away. "Sorry Adam, but this isn't just about us."

Methos looked sceptical, but acquiesced, changing the subject. "You don't keep your sword on you any more."

Daniel laughed. "Have you tried getting so much as a toothpick passed these people?"

Methos turned stern. "You don't even practise anymore. I can see it in your stance. If I had my Ivanhoe with me I'd give you a lesson you wouldn't forget in a hurry."

"I know, I know! You'd probably take my head just to teach me a lesson." Daniel grinned warmly at his teacher. "I've so rarely been in a position where I'm even likely to meet another Immortal the last few years that I guess I've got complacent…"

Methos shook his head fondly. "You never were interested in learning how to keep your head. That's why I find it so hard to believe you're here, surrounded by the most gung-ho army to come about in best part of a thousand years."

"Actually they're airforce."

Methos quirked an eyebrow at the obvious deflection, but Daniel ignored it turning back to gaze at the night sky as he had been doing before his old friend had arrived.

"I have a friend who can map how the stars looked a thousand years ago, lay them out with mathematical certainty…I don't have the heart to tell her that I've seen those constellations, that she's missed the point entirely plotting dots on her computer."

Methos stepped closer, until they were shoulder to shoulder, looking up at the sky. "I've shared the night sky with so many over the millennia and every time it's looked at little different, but it's still the same sky. There are so few things in the world as permanent as we are, the sky changes same as we do, but it is still the same sky."

For a moment they stood in thought…and then the moment was gone.

"Are you ready?"

Methos took a deep breath. "As ready as I'll ever be. Remind me in the morning to tell you again why I've always been against this grave-robbing business. Someday it might be one of your wives someone finds."

"In the morning. Let's go."

Daniel pulled a torch out of his belt, clicking it on to light their way as they moved off the steep dune towards the dig and its guards.

Jack hadn't been able to pick out everything that was said, but that didn't matter; he'd get to the bottom of whatever these two were playing at at the dig site. One way or another…


	3. Dry

Crossover: HL/SG-1 (roughly series 6 SG-1!verse, end series 3 HL!verse)

Characters: SG-1, Methos, Janet Fraser

For prompt: 084 Dry

Summary: Methos is reunited with Elana and Jack gets to the bottom of things.

A/N: Third in yet another series of ficlets – and yet again I have no firm plans…

A/N 2: I know the proper spelling is Goa'uld, but they never say it like that so you've got my attempt at phonetic spelling.

Unlike most of the other rooms this small annexe of the tomb had barely been disturbed; Methos silently thanked Daniel for that much. Thousands of years of dust and sand muffled their footsteps on the stone floor and already Methos could feel the small clouds they raised with their passing clinging to the back of his throat every time he breathed in, making him swallow convulsively.

He could see her sarcophagus now, stood upright against the far wall with the other key members of the household. He knew that to most people the pictures on the front of sarcophagi all looked the same, the same stylised Egyptian forms and faces, but even then he could tell which was hers. He made it to her, felt his throat tighten and could go no further. No matter how much he felt he owed it to her to see her one last time, he couldn't open the casket, couldn't see that desiccated husk that was once his wife.

A hand came into his field of vision, and he looked up to see Daniel offering him a thin book, worn and cracked with age. Just looking down at the cover brought back memories he had thought were gone forever. Taking it he opened it to a random page, scanning the scrawled entries of his daily life over four and a half thousand years ago…

"It hardly seems like me does it?" He asked his old student wonderingly.

"It has been a while," Daniel said, a slow grin spreading across his face.

"See that's the thing," Daniel and Methos jumped as Jack appeared from around the corner, "It has been a long time. In fact the carbon dating on that journal came in today at close to four thousand six hundred years, so I'm standing here wondering how you could have wrote it."

"Jack…" Daniel began.

"Ah-bup-bup!" O'Neill interrupted, gesturing with a finger. "I'll deal with you in a minute."

"But Jack it's not what you're thinking!"

"And what am I thinking?"

"He's not a Guuld."

O'Neill looked sceptical. "And I should believe you because? You're the one that brought in this guy!"

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Give me a break Jack. You know I'm not a Guuld; we get tested every time we go off world, every time we're around Guuld artefacts. Hell, I've been tested three times since being here after what happened with Sarah and Osiris."

O'Neill shrugged. "Yeah there's that and you refused to tell this guy anything classified even though you trust him."

Daniel frowned, looking puzzled. "You were listening…"

O'Neill put up his hands in defence. "Hey I was just coming to say hi, it's not my fault you were on the phone."

"You didn't have to stay and listen!"

O'Neill tried to pretend innocence. "But then I wouldn't have heard about all this."

Daniel sighed explosively, turning away, so Jack addressed Methos.

"You been briefed yet?"

"No, but please continue it's all very interesting."

Daniel looked at his teacher with irritation. "You're the last person I would have thought would find this amusing." Methos shrugged and Daniel turned to Jack. "What do you mean has he been briefed?"

"Dr Adam Pierson has been granted full clearance."

"You got him that?"

Jack grinned. "Least I could do for an old friend of Danny's…" The smile turned to a frown. "Very old apparently, which is where I'm still unclear…"

Daniel and Methos shared a glance.

"You're not getting out of here without an answer," Jack offered.

Methos shrugged and Daniel sighed. "Jack, shoot Adam."

"What!"

"Shoot me." Methos said, spreading his arms wide. "Just not the head if you don't mind, it makes me feel strange for hours."

Jack actually backed off a step. "I'm not going to shoot you!"

"Oh I'm tired of this already!" In one fluid movement Methos had taken O'Neill's gun and shot…at Daniel.

"Daniel!" Jack cried out, "Sam! Teal'c! Get Fraser and get in here!"

"What's going on?" A blond head appeared taking in Daniel's still form on the floor and the gun in a stranger's hand in one glance. "Medic!"

"Oh please, just give him a few minutes; he always has been a slow one for coming round. Here," Methos calmly handed the gun back to O'Neill as a large black man appeared, pinning his arms behind his back as soon as O'Neill had the gun.

Methos could here running footsteps in the next room, and suddenly a short brunette had joined the scene carrying a doctor bag, rushing to Daniel's side.

"How long ago?"

"A couple of minutes ago." Methos replied. "He'll be awake in a minute, don't worry."

"Don't worry! He's been shot in the heart!" The blond exclaimed.

The doctor was looking at him strangely, making no move to help the man on the floor. "You're like him?" She asked quietly.

Methos just smiled in recognition, but she backed away.

The blond woman gazed at her friend disbelievingly. "Janet? What are you doing?"

"Trust me Sam."

Almost before she could finish there was a gasp from the no longer prone form on the floor and Daniel Jackson sat up, clutching at his chest.

"Did you have to shoot to kill? A shot in the leg would have been just as effective a demonstration and I hate dying."

Adam tried to shrug and found that the hold on his arms had gone lax and shook himself free of the burly man supposedly restraining him.

"You'll get over it." He held out a hand for his friend, ignoring the stunned looks of the air force personnel and pulling Daniel to his feet.

Daniel winced, straightening only slowly, and gradually deepening his breathing.

"…You're alive…" Jack said after a while.

Daniel coughed. "Yes Jack, I'm alive. I'm Immortal."

Sam's eyes were red as she looked at Janet. "You knew…?"

Daniel cut in before she could answer. "She found out and I explained why she had to keep it a secret…"

Methos looked at him sternly. "She knows about the Game?"

This Janet managed to answer for herself, meeting Adam's eyes confidently. "Everything."

Methos smiled knowingly. "Never everything."

Sam still looked hurt. "But you died…You were gone for over a year…"

Daniel rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "The radiation took longer than I've ever known to heal from. I wasn't even sure I would survive, but by the time I would have woken up my coffin had been sent through the gate and I was trapped in between dead and alive. Oma was just as surprised as I was when someone finally found the coffin and I suddenly woke up in my body. That long away…it took me a little while to remember who and what I was…"

Daniel took a moment to appreciate the confusion on Methos' face; it wasn't often he got to see the old man flustered.

"I didn't understand a word of that. So…since we've cleared up what we are, someone mentioned a briefing?" At some point in the excitement Methos had dropped his ancient journal. "Danny, pass my journal would you?"

Daniel bent down to pick up the book near his foot and passed it over.

"Your journal?" Sam asked in awe. "The carbon dating on that said it was over four thousand six hundred years old!"

Methos sighed. "So we're back to that are we? Yes this is my journal that I wrote four thousand, six hundred and thirty odd years ago. That," he said pointing viciously as the sarcophagus against the wall, "is the remains of my wife, Elana, which is why Danny called me here." Pain, and the dust of centuries clogged his throat until his final words came out a croak. "Now that we've had such a lovely time getting reacquainted could we please get out of here? I'm parched…"


	4. Mountain

Crossover: HL/SG-1 (roughly series 6 SG-1!verse, end series 3 HL!verse)

Characters: Daniel, O'Neill, Methos

For prompt: 081 Mountain

Summary: Methos' first impressions of the SGC.

A/N: Fourth in yet another series of ficlets – and yet again I have no firm plans…

How could he refuse?

Even after five thousand and some years Methos never tried to pretend he had seen everything but aliens would certainly be something new. He didn't like the idea of the US military knowing about what he was any more than he liked the idea of working for them, but Danny assured him that the SGC was not like the rest of the military: that there secret would be safe.

Methos still was not about to trust these people with any more than was necessary, but for Daniel's sake, and for the sake of a lifetime or two of truly innovative study he was prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt.

It was only a handful of days after his initial briefing that the dig site was closed down. Apart from the one artefact that had caused all the interest in the first place, nothing of alien origin was found. Methos had tried to tell them that the one piece they had found (a strange metallic thing that went over the fingers and wrapped around the wrist) was used as a piece of royal jewellery and nothing more at the time when he knew the household, no matter what it was actually capable of. Still, the everything in the site was tested and re-tested enough for the air force to be sure that that was the only alien piece. It had meant every sarcophagus had to be checked, and while Elana's was entrusted to him and Daniel to deal with privately, seeing her again opened old wounds that were better left buried in the sand.

When that was done all that was left was to pack up and head back to the SGC…

Cheyenne Mountain complex…as he was given the tour by an excitable Daniel and a long-suffering O'Neill, Methos truly came to appreciate what it meant to be in a modern military installation: utter boredom. The drab slightly green-grey walls the same in every corridor, every single person he saw with the same uniform, same haircut, same blank expression; he felt like he could feel the weight of the mountain on top of him. The only interesting moment was when O'Neill tried to explain to his CO why he had let swords into his base. O'Neill truly did have a way with words, a keen military intellect hidden under masterfully feigned ignorance. It was almost possible to forget that this man had spent years on clandestine "special" operations with his jovial nature. Still, Methos felt that they understood each other as they shared another glance over Daniel's head, rolling eyes in a way that anyone who had seen Daniel on a roll would be familiar with.

As Methos looked around the control room, the final stop on their tour, only to see a hundred little flashing lights and buttons that could mean anything, being tended to by yet more cookie cutter soldiers he found himself wondering whether he had made the right decision. I mean sure there was some interesting research going on, aliens and ancient history in a mixture that amused him, but was it really worth coming every day to this drab, spartan, _military_ place every day, where the closest thing to fun was jello in the cafeteria?

"SG-4 are ready to disembark sir," one of the drones at a computer announced.

Daniel grabbed his arm, pulling him over to the window where he could get a perfect view of a large ring of rather ordinary-looking stone. "You'll want to see this."

"You have a go." Someone said with what Methos thought was a terrible attempt at English.

"Chevron one engaged…"

The ring was spinning now, steam coming off in little puffs where a whole load of machinery was in place to each side of it as the annoying man at the computer when on counting off chevrons (whatever they were). Intrigued, Methos stepped forward, wondering just what you would see through a Stargate, but not overly hopeful: in his experience he had found that new gadgets always ended up being a big let down…

"Chevron seven locked."

…

Methos thought maybe he had found something worth staying for after all…


	5. Teammates

Crossover: HL/SG-1 (roughly series 6 SG-1!verse, end series 3 HL!verse)

Characters: Daniel, O'Neill, Methos, Sam, Teal'c

For prompt: 026 Team mates

Summary: There are some issues that need clearing up.

"Knock knock?"

Daniel glanced distractedly at Sam as she let herself into his office.

"Hi."

"Hi…So…how's it going?"

Daniel shuffled through the books and papers on his desk, looking for something. "I think someone's been in here while we've been away. I can't find anything."

"And you could before?" Sam wondered aloud, smiling wryly as Daniel glared at her.

There was a long pause as Daniel moved around his office, trying to put it in some kind of order. Eventually Daniel realised that Sam wasn't going to say anything unless he prompted her.

"Is there something wrong Sam?"

She wrapped her arms around herself defensively. "No! No, of course not…"

He turned back to what he was doing, talking over his shoulder to her. "You're freaked out that I'm Immortal?"

"What! No!" Sam began, then faltered. "Well…you're really old," she flapped in exasperation, "I guess I'm just trying to imagine what it would be like…"

Daniel frowned, trying to remember what he had been working on when he had written the page of notes he had just found. "To live 4000 years?" He finished for her, turning back to look at his friend. "Well only 3982 years actually…" He corrected absently.

"3- you don't seem that old…"

"And what would that seem like?" He took pity on her. "Sam, no matter how old we get the world doesn't change – we still have to have a job, a home, an income, food, all the rest of it. We still want the same things as everyone else…"

"I suppose, I'd just thought…"

"That there'd be something more?" Daniel smiled gently. "Sorry, life's just the same no matter how long it goes on."

Sam seemed to think about that for a moment. "Still," she grinned with an excited glint in her eyes, "you must have seen some amazing things!"

Daniel just laughed, "I'll tell you all about it."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Adam? Or should I say Methos?"

Methos spun around from the box he was unpacking in his new office to see Jack leaning nonchalantly against his doorway. Ushering him quickly inside, Methos shut the door firmly behind them.

"You may not want to advertise that name."

"And why's that?" O'Neill asked nonchalantly.

Methos kicked himself for trusting Daniel and getting himself into this position. "Because most people think Methos is just a myth and I'd rather keep it that way."

O'Neill just cocked an eyebrow. They both knew that this was one Immortal that was going to have to explain a few things before he could get any work done.

"Daniel told you about the Game? The Quickening?" Methos waited for O'Neill's nod before going on. "When one of us takes the head of another Immortal we gain all their power through the Quickening. How strong that power is is determined by a few things, but mostly by age – so the world's oldest living Immortal would never get a second's peace if everyone knew who he was and decided to try and get a leg up on the Game by taking his head."

"That's you?" Methos bowed mockingly, but inside he was surprised by how easily Jack took it - though he would reserve judgement on the Colonel until he heard how old he was.

Jack seemed to think it over. "So if you've got all this power what's to stop you just beating everyone who comes after you?"

Methos scratched the back of his neck, turning away in embarrassment and pretending to sort through one of the many boxes waiting for his attention. "I'm kind of out of practise with a sword…"

"You're in a life-long fight to the death and you're 'out of practise'!" Jack asked incredulously.

Methos shrugged. "I disappeared for a while – took a break. 5000 years of fighting kind of wears a bit thin."

Jack seemed unimpressed by his age and carried on as if it had never been mentioned. "I bet Danny-boy's even worse. Well I can't have members of my team getting killed off-duty. The two of you are going to be practising every morning at 0730 from now on."

"And since when have I been one of your team?"

Jack grinned. "Since always. We didn't tell you? Welcome to SG-1."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Why did you have to go and say that to Jack?" Daniel whined as they made their way to a spare training room the next morning.

"I never thought he would do this. Besides I was going to start training again anyway."

Daniel looked at his mentor, concerned. "It's been a while since you cared about using your sword. Did something happen?"

"Almost, but it turned out ok. Still, it made me feel ridiculous – the world's oldest Immortal unable to stand up to some century-old child."

Daniel chuckled. "I guess pride has its uses."

They entered the gym to see someone there before them. Teal'c stood off to one side, methodically going through a form with a solid wooden replica of a staff weapon. It reminded Methos of some of the methods he had learned with a quarterstaff long ago, the image so vivid that he could almost feel the smooth wood beneath his hands again. His felt his blood run just a little bit faster in excitement at the thought of the session to come, though he could see that his sometime student was still less than keen. Moving out onto the mats he hefted his Ivanhoe, moving slowly into one of the many forms that had become second nature to him over the centuries.

It was imperfect, not flowing as smoothly as he would have liked and without the power behind it that would only come from building up those muscles again, but it felt as natural as breathing, and by the time he was bringing his third pass through it to a close he was panting. As he took a breather he caught Teal'c's eye where the larger man had been watching him. They shared the slightest of bows: that of men who understood each other. Methos knew a little about Teal'c's background (that he had done some terrible things for the Goa'uld) and could feel a kinship with him, sure that Teal'c felt the same, though there was no way Teal'c could know of the atrocities Methos had perpetuated in his darker years. No matter how hard he tried to pretend he was nothing more than an academic, Methos knew that at heart he was a warrior, same as his burly companion.

Daniel on the other hand, clearly did not think of himself as a warrior. He grumbled and fussed over his practise until Methos had had enough and knocked his blade aside effortlessly.

"Come on – let's spar for a bit."

Daniel looked uncertain. "Do we have to?"

Angry, Methos cut him a neat slice across the top of his arm for his whining. "Be thankful you're not my student anymore or I would have given you more than that! We've both become far too complacent, now fight me!"

Methos lunged forward, not waiting for Daniel to prepare himself, but found himself neatly blocked regardless and looked down into Daniel's grinning face.

"Last time I said that as your student you killed me."

Methos grinned wickedly. "If you don't want me to do it again then you better had improved since then."

Suddenly a siren sounded and a red light started flashing above their heads.

"Unscheduled off-world activation! SG-1 to the gate room!"

"Saved by the bell."


	6. Children

Crossover: HL/SG-1 (roughly series 6 SG-1!verse, end series 3 HL!verse)

Characters: Daniel, O'Neill, Methos, Sam, Teal'c, Jacob Carter, OFC (Tok'ra).

For prompt: 028 Children

Summary: Some people are younger than others

"Adam, it'll be fine there." Daniel sighed, pulling on a new shirt to replace his sliced one as they hurried towards the gate room with Teal'c following close behind.

Methos winced. "I just don't like the idea of leaving my sword lying in some room."

"It will be perfectly safe." Teal'c rumbled.

"See?" Daniel asserted, as if because Teal'c had said it it had to be right.

Methos was unconvinced, but didn't push the matter as they reached the gate room and came to halt behind Jack and Sam as an older man and a young woman, both in rather strangely pieced together clothes, walked down the ramp.

"Hey dad!" Sam said, rushing forward to throw her arms around her father, "long time no see."

"Hey kiddo. How you been?"

So this was Jacob Carter, Methos mused. He had heard briefly about this man and just how he had come about his new role with their alien allies in his briefing and ever since then he had been intrigued to meet this man who would willingly let an alien set up shop in his head.

"You been poaching members from other teams Jack?" Jacob asked, his curious gaze sliding towards Methos.

"Adam Pierson," Methos introduced himself, meeting Jacob's eyes confidently.

"Jacob Carter. Civilian?" Jacob asked, suspicion just barely detectable under his voice.

"He has hidden talents," Jack interrupted before Methos could answer, an inscrutable smile on his face.

"This place is quite remarkable," the young woman who had come through the gate announced, "for such a," she seemed to remember the company she was in, "young race." She said with a hint of a smile.

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Let me introduce Macha. Macha, this is SG-1."

Macha strolled over, with an honest smile this time. "The famous team. It's a pleasure to meet you." She said, bowing gracefully.

"Nice to meet you Macha," Daniel reciprocated, offering a hand.

Jack stood back a little with a smirk on his face. "You might want to watch who you're calling young around here lately."

"Jack…" Daniel warned, but Methos only chuckled, feeling better about Jack's obscure jokes at least than he did about leaving his sword in the training room.

Macha seemed not to catch Jack's joke, but Methos could see that the same could not be said for Jacob as they met each other's eyes.

Jack obviously noticed too, and quickly changed the subject. "So what brings you to Earth Jacob?"

"Purely a social call this time Jack." He looked up wistfully, as if there weren't 26 floors above him, "It's been too long since I've seen Earth…and have time to spend with the family." He gave Sam's shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "Macha was curious to see the home of the Tau'ri so I thought I'd bring her along."

"So now we're a tourist destination?" Jack drawled.

"Think of it as strengthening relationships between the Tau'ri and the Tok'ra." Jacob offered with a smirk. "Any chance you can spare an airman to show Macha around?"

"I can spare some time this afternoon." Sam offered.

Macha bowed. "That would be much appreciated Major Carter. I have to confess I have been eager to meet you."

"That's settled then," Jacob announced. "I've got to go see George, see if I can get clearance to the surface. Meet up at O'Mally's for something to eat later?"

There was around of agreements to the plan and everyone headed off back to what they had been doing. Teal'c, finished with his morning workout, parted company with Methos and Daniel with a bow as he headed for the showers. Methos was relieved to see his sword still propped against the wall where he had left it and gathered it up, turning with it in his hand as he heard quick footsteps approaching down the hallway.

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt anything…" Jacob Carter began as he walked in the door. He stepped further in. "Things have changed a bit since I was last here if swords are standard issue now…"

Daniel was flustered. "Oh, this? I mean…"

Methos saw the understanding in Jacob's eyes and just smiled. "It's ok Daniel. Why don't you go get changed? We can train for longer tomorrow."

"Adam?" Daniel seemed uncertain, but acquiesced, gathering up his things and slipping his falcata neatly out of sight. He seemed kind of embarrassed as he nodded to Jacob on his way out.

"Holy Hannah…I had thought he might be but to see him with a sword…can he use it?"

Methos chuckled, the shock on Jacob's face priceless. "Just barely. You know about us." It wasn't a question.

Jacob bowed his head. For a moment Methos just thought he was nodding – that was until he heard his voice.

"Greetings Adam Pierson. I am Selmak. I have indeed met a very few of your kind on other worlds, though not for almost 3000 years. I had thought the last of the Quickened were gone."

Methos found himself more enthralled than surprised at the alienness of Selmak's voice. It was so rare for him to come across anything new anymore it seemed a waste to spend time being cowed by it. Still, 'Quickened'? Well he supposed it was as good a name as any…

"Pleased to meet you. When I heard that humans had been taken through the gate I did wonder whether Immortals might have been taken through with them."

Selmak nodded with Jacob's head. "There were some, but not many. The Goa'uld saw your kind as a threat and have eradicated them wherever they found them."

"That's a pleasant thought…"

Selmak bowed his head, and then Jacob was clearing his throat and looking up at the Immortal with a guarded expression. "We'll see you at the bar tonight?"

"I'll be there." Methos answered, Jacob turning to leave before he had even finished answering.


	7. Earth

Crossover: HL/SG-1 (roughly series 6 SG-1!verse, end series 3 HL!verse)

Characters: Daniel, O'Neill, Methos, Sam, Teal'c, Jacob Carter.

For prompt: 053 Earth

Summary: Stranger things happen at home.

O'Mally's was busy for a weeknight but not claustrophobically so. Left without the option of office talk in public Methos had been surprised to find that, rather than lapsing into awkward silence, the conversation had been lively, covering everything from sports, to literature, to Star Wars (the defence system and the films). Currently Teal'c was watching Sam cream various local boys at pool while he propped up the bar with Jack, Jacob and Daniel.

Suddenly he felt the presence of another Immortal and automatically straightened from his lazy posture against the bar, meeting Daniel's eyes as he felt the same thing. Jack was asking what was wrong, but Jacob put a hand on his arm to make him pause in his questions. Methos turned to the door just as it opened and felt Daniel do the same, but let out a sigh of relief as he recognised the stunning woman approaching them with a wide "cat who ate the canary" smile on her face.

"Adam, darling," Amanda drawled kissing his cheek in greeting.

"Amanda," he found himself saying wistfully, unable to wipe the smile off his face.

"Amanda." Daniel stated rather more harshly.

Amanda pouted. "Danny…not still mad at me are you?"

"You stole a priceless historical artefact."

She smiled remorselessly. "I've stolen hundreds darling. Oh, but who are your friends?"

Methos stepped in before Daniel could get into berating her. "Amanda meet Jack O'Neill and Jacob Carter. They know," he stage whispered, making her raise her eyebrows at him. "Jack, Jacob, meet Amanda…"

"Amanda Darieux." Amanda interjected neatly, offering a limp hand. "Charmed I'm sure," she said with a wicked smile.

"Nice to meet you," Jack said, not quite sure what to do with her hand.

Jacob responded somewhat more elegantly, placing a kiss delicately on her hand in a way that Methos was sure was prompted by Selmak rather than any etiquette training he might have got from the military. "The pleasure is ours."

Amanda batted her eyes coquettishly at Methos. "You've got an interesting one here."

"What brings you to Colorado Springs Amanda? I can't imagine there's anything here valuable enough to warrant your skills." Daniel asked dryly.

She batted affectionately at him, regardless of how much he seemed to dislike her mock simpering. "Now that's where you would be wrong! It seems our Adam here is quite in demand in certain circles so I thought I would selflessly bring myself to this back-water little town where (you are quite right) there is absolutely nothing worth stealing, simply to see that he has not been abducted by the government or anything fiendish like that."

Methos rolled his eyes. "So Dawson gets worried I've been taken by the military and asks MacCleod for help and since you owe both of us for that whole 'letting Kalas out of prison' thing you thought you'd cover your ass and check I was ok?"

Amanda sneered. "I like the way I put it better." She huffed. "But it doesn't seem like you're being held in chains being horribly tortured so I guess I can't sweep in to save you and redeem myself a bit…though this is all terribly interesting. You, of all people, letting mortals in on the big secret…" Amanda glanced side-long at Jack and Jacob.

Jacob held up his hands. "Hey, I already knew."

Amanda sidled sinuously closer to Jack. "And you? What did you do to earn the old man's confidence?"

"Sir?" Sam asked coming over from the pool table.

Amanda just smiled, her eyes glittering as she turned back to Methos and Daniel. "You _are_ involved with the military! Mac'll never believe this…"

Amanda trailed off as all three Immortals felt the presence of another.

"Friend of yours?" Daniel asked with feigned casualness, arm going to his side to reach for a sword that wasn't there.

Amanda had a genuine expression on her face for the first time since she had arrived: fear. "Hardly. This guy just won't give up; another reason I thought it might be nice to travel across the country for a bit. He must have followed me all the way here from Washington."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked, putting a hand on Daniel's arm.

He turned to her. "There's another Immortal right outside."

"Problem?" Jack asked, his tone businesslike.

"No problem," Methos said quickly, before either of his companions could interrupt. "Back in a sec."

He met their eyes; first Daniel's pity-filled look, then Amanda's guilt-ridden one. They all knew what had to be done. This guy wasn't going away: Amanda would have killed him already if she thought she could and Daniel didn't have a hope even if he did have his sword. They could try and run, but that never solved anything, as Amanda was finding, and so he offered to get rid of the problem. He could probably manage it…

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"He knew what he was doing Jack!" Jacob yelled as they ran.

"You can't interfere in the Game!" Daniel protested.

"For crying out loud! You let him just wander off to get killed!"

Amanda simply shrugged and rolled her eyes. "The old man can take care of himself."

Jack seemed unconvinced and led their party on towards the increasingly audible clash of swords. They turned the corner to find Methos on the ground, blood sheeting his face from a quickly closing gash on his forehead, a broad shouldered man standing over him with a sword, turning at the sound of running footsteps suddenly halting at the end of what he thought was a deserted alley.

Methos took the opportunity, pushing himself off the ground, but not to his feet; instead he launched himself into a roll to get behind his opponent, slashing through the man's ham-strings at the ankle. The other Immortal screamed and fell to the floor, but held onto his sword so that he blocked as Methos rose and struck downwards at him. Methos, too tired to worry about good manners in battle, simply cut his opponent's hand off at the wrist, turning his sword in one fluid motion to take his head the stroke after.

The rest of SG-1 went to move forward as Methos swayed uncertainly on his feet, but Daniel gestured for them to stay back.

"Wait…"

Jack gaped as a white mist rose out of the body on the ground to cloak the victor. "What the hell…?"

Anything else he might have wanted to ask was drowned out by Methos's scream as lightning struck him from the cloudless sky. He lent on his sword, tip resting on the ground in front of him, and rocked violently as each bolt shot through him. Daniel could feel the power prickling up his arms and for a moment he almost missed the feeling of a raw quickening, but then it passed, leaving him feeling slightly sick that he had considered it at all. Looking at the faces of his team mates he could only guess what they might be thinking about this spectacle: whatever they thought he could not let go of how embarrassed he was that they were seeing something so private to Immortals at all.

Slowly the quickening burned itself out and Methos stumbled out of the alley towards his friends carrying his opponent's sword as well as his own. He passed the now ownerless sword to Amanda.

"Give this to the Highlander next time you see him, will you? He has a thing for cavalry sabres."

Amanda smiled sheepishly. "Will do."

As Methos slipped his own sword back inside his long coat, Jack finally spoke up. "I guess I needn't have worried about you being rusty after all…"

Methos spat blood onto the pavement and wiped some of it off his face with his sleeve before he answered. "Are you kidding? That kid was barely 500 years old. I'm going back to training first thing tomorrow."

"I would be honoured to assist you." Teal'c rumbled. Methos accepted his offer with a nod.

Sam looked concerned. "Maybe you should wait a day or two…"

Methos smiled, though with the smears of blood on his face and teeth it did not have reassuring effect he had hoped. "Give me a shower and five minutes to heal and I'll be good as new." He clapped Daniel on the back as they started to make their way back. "And you'll be joining me won't you Danny?"

Jack interrupted before he could reply. "Yes he will." Daniel just sighed.

"The old man training, joining up with the military; Mac'll never believe me." Amanda murmured to herself shaking her head.


	8. Enemies

Crossover: HL/SG-1 (roughly series 6 SG-1!verse, end series 3 HL!verse)

Characters: Daniel, O'Neill, Methos, Sam, Teal'c, Jacob Carter, OFC

For prompt: Enemies

Summary: The enemy is sometimes closer than you think

Disclaimer: I own neither Highlander nor SG-1 - I just smoosh them together for fun.

"ee, ki, shi, chi, ni…I knew it! But that doesn't help…"

"Problem?"

Adam looked up to see Macha fluttering her eyelashes coyly at him from the doorway. She was a lovely girl even if she was an alien, with another alien sharing her head.

"Daniel asked me to look at this translation for him since eastern languages aren't really his speciality, though I'm starting to realise they're not mine either." He looked at the script in front of him, Macha's prescence all but forgotten. "On the surface it looks like Japanese but some of the symbols seem to have been modified to allow for a greater phonetic range. The only problem is that it puts the meaning of all the other characters out as well…"

"Perhaps I could help?"

"I thought the Tok'ra had a mostly Egyptian heritage like the Goa'uld. Do you know Japanese?"

Macha blushed prettily. "I do not know what…Japanese is, but the Tok'ra have visited many worlds. Perhaps the planet this is from is one that it familiar to us."

"Well you're welcome to have a look if you think you can help."

She really was very beautiful, he thought as she sashayed closer, leaning over his shoulder so close he could have sworn her breasts brushed his arm. He tried not to think about it; though he had been with stranger people over the years…there had been that hermaphrodite in Prague a few hundred years ago…and that midget in Vienna…

A sharp pain in the back of his neck quickly brought him back to himself. He could feel the Goa'uld as it slithered into his head, stretching itself throughout his brain in less than a second. His body suddenly burned with power, too much to contain easily and he felt his eyes glow as the excess left him in a rush. A wave of dizziness went through Methos as his body began moving of its own volition, or rather of the Goa'uld's volition, but he made himself comfortable in the small area of his brain he had been allowed to view the world from and settled in to see what would happen next.

The first thing that happened was a loud and rather annoying noise began chiming throughout the complex and Methos' new captor swung round to see Macha slipping to the floor, blood dripping from her mouth, a bloody handprint left square on the big red alarm button.

Good girl, Methos thought to himself.

"You shall pay for that Tok'ra scum!" his voice said for him in the tones of the Goa'uld. It didn't feel like he had been expecting it would at all…it kinda tickled.

But he didn't have time to wonder about that as the Goa'uld moved towards Macha's terrified form.

I think you've had enough fun, Methos thought pointedly at the presence in his head, fighting for control for a moment before the Goa'uld screamed in pain, mentally and physically, deafening its host.

Suddenly the thing was squirming frantically in his head, panicked and in pain, though Methos was just left a little nauseous by its thrashing. Before he knew it he had control of his body again and almost fell flat on his face with the suddenness of it. On hands and knees on the floor of his office he retched as the Goa'uld fought its way out to land in a bloody heap on the floor, keening pitifully.

The sound of heavily booted feet in the hallway preceded the appearance of Jack with a couple of well armed airmen.

"I'm me…" Methos gasped, putting his hands up from where he knelt on the floor, before his coughing sprayed blood everywhere and he moved to wipe the drips off his chin, trying not to think about the blood he'd just coughed up his nose.

The Goa'uld screeched again.

"Someone zat that thing!" Jack ordered, waiting until it was stunned before coming into the room, other people arriving to peer round the airmen in the doorway.

"Holy Hannah! Maroset!"

"Carter get Macha to the infirmary. Teal'c, Jacob see what you can do with that thing."

"She's Tok'ra Jack, she comes under our laws."

Jacob wasn't talking about Macha, but the now quiescent Maroset on the floor.

"Yeah, yeah Jacob, we'll sort that out later. Adam? Can you stand?"

"Sure," Adam replied, doing just that, "though that was not anything I needed to do today."

Jack did not respond so flippantly. "These guys are gonna take you to Doc Fraser, just to make sure everyone's who they say they are, you know? You going to make trouble?"

"Are you kidding?" At Jack's serious look Adam elaborated. "I'm not going to make trouble Jack. Though I'm going to need a breath mint – stat!"

Jack looked at the thing floating in the electrified solution they had used to keep Junior alive before and felt his skin crawl. It was definitely all there though – nothing missing that could have been left in Adam at least. Teal'c and Jacob were stood with him, two airmen on the door just in case.

"You've gotta stop having all these Goa'uld spies Jacob, it makes you look bad."

"She's not Goa'uld," Selmak answered sternly. "Maroset has been with us from the time she was born. She may have coveted the power the Goa'uld wield, but she was not there spy."

"Wait, you knew that she was a Guld groupie and so you brought her here?"

"In retrospect it may have been a mistake."

"Ya think?"

Selmak smirked with Jacob's lips.

Jack turned back to the tank, studying the Goa'uld within. "What's with all the burns on her?"

Selmak shook his head. "We do not know how a Goa'uld could have sustained such injuries from within a host and yet she does not seem to have been outside of a host long enough to sustain them either. It is a mystery."

"And how the hell did Adam get her out?"

"I have never heard of such a thing happening," Teal'c offered.

"She left on her own. She would have died if she'd stayed in me any longer."

The group around the tank turned to see Adam and Sam walk in. Jack raised his eyebrows in question and Sam answered. "100 human sir. Adam and Macha both, well as human as they were before anyway."

"Ok, so you wanna explain why this thing just decided to up and leave your big old brain?"

Adam looked meaningfully at the airmen at the door.

"Guys, why don't you guard from outside?" Jack offered, "And shut the door on your way out."

As soon as the doors were shut everyone looked expectantly at Adam.

"It was the Quickening. Immortals live so long because the Quickening heals us, rejecting anything that isn't a part of us. Bullets, knives, they all get forced out eventually and I guess the same goes for Goa'uld. It would explain the burns as well – the Quickening is pretty much pure energy, like electricity almost. Well you know, you saw it when I took that guy's head outside O'Mally's."

"That?" Jack asked. "That big lightning storm thing…that's inside you all the time, zipping around getting rid of all the stuff that shouldn't be there? Cool, where can I get one?"

The doors clattered open.

"Hey I heard that there was Guld? Ooh…" Daniel put his glasses on as he approached the tank, peering in at the contents. "Quickening burns. I haven't seen them since Roy Marshal thought he was saving me from a storm."

Jack looked between the two Immortals, considering. "This could be interesting."


	9. Insides

Crossover: HL/SG-1 (roughly series 6 SG-1!verse, end series 3 HL!verse)

Characters: O'Neill, Methos, Sam

For prompt: 004 Insides

Summary: Sam is a little too keen to fully explore her new team mate (not shipper!!)

"No."

"Why not?"

"Just…no."

"But you'll heal in seconds."

"It still hurts!"

"I would use anaesthetic! I'm not completely heartless."

"You could have fooled me."

"Won't you give it a try? We could learn so much."

"Why don't you get Daniel to be your guinea pig?"

"He said no."

"So did I!"

"He shut the door in my face."

"Oh to have a door with me right now."

"Oh go on Adam…please?"

"Carter quit trying to slice and dice our own team!"

"Yes sir."


	10. Independence

Crossover: HL/SG-1 (roughly series 6 SG-1!verse, end series 3 HL!verse)

Characters: O'Neill, Methos, Sam, Daniel, DM, Teal'c, Hammond

For prompt: 094 Independence

Summary: Things may never be the same again.

There was a military man at his door. He was dressed in civvies, but Duncan hadn't spent almost four hundred years as a warrior without be able to spot a soldier out of uniform.

"Jack O'Neill, mind if I come in?"

"Sure." Duncan held the door open and let him pass by into his home. Now he understood: this was about the old man. Amanda had told him all about her little run in with Methos and his new friends, though he still found it hard to believe that he was suddenly being so open about his Immortality…

"What can I do for you Colonel?"

O'Neill barely even blinked at the use of his title.

"Methos sends his regards." The Colonel said with a smile, waiting patiently for Duncan's slightly flabbergasted response.

"There's not many people who know that name…" Duncan offered eventually, trying to feel out this man who knew far more than he should.

"Only one man in the entire US military, which is why he said I should come."

Duncan still wasn't sure why the old man hadn't come himself, but no doubt he had a reason. The safety of being surrounded by a base full of well-armed military that would take notice of someone in their company having their head lopped off was high on Duncan's guesses of why.

"And what brings you here Colonel?"

"We could do with some help on a mission we have on the books."

"You need me? Thousands of soldiers and the world's oldest man not enough for you? What can I possibly do that they can't?"

O'Neill cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable for the first time.

"I'm afraid that's classified-"

"Understandable." Duncan interjected. "It must be embarrassing too if you've come begging in person."

"But Adam said you'd never miss an opportunity to be a boy scout."

Duncan chuckled: that certainly sounded like the old man.

He was intrigued, but he still didn't like the idea that the military were seeking out Immortals. He knew it was a slippery slope once the military got hold of something they could exploit to their advantage, and all they would have to do is threaten to expose Immortals to the world and they'd have a nice bunch of slave soldiers.

Still 5000 years of experience had to be worth something…Methos wouldn't have set the military on to him for no reason. Maybe he really was needed…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

So here he was: stuck god only knew how many miles under a mountain surrounded by the military on all sides wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into.

Just as he felt the elevator begin to slow, O'Neill turned to him.

"Only you, me and Daniel know how old the old man really is, ok? I get the impression he's a little funny about his privacy."

Duncan snickered. "Having a large slice of the Immortal population looking to take your head will do that for you. And it's not just Immortals: has he told you about the Watchers?"

"A little, though I'm not sure I agree with the whole non-interference thing."

"Has he told you he's one of them?"

O'Neill glanced at him in surprise as the doors swished open.

Duncan continued. "He's the one they assigned to look for Methos."

O'Neill chuckled as he led the way down the hall.

It was only moments before Duncan felt the familiar sensation of another Immortal and he couldn't stop himself from putting a ready hand on his sword under his long coat, even though he knew that it had to be Methos.

And it was. O'Neill let them in through a drab door that looked exactly the same as all the others, but which opened to reveal a room full of artefacts and wonders that MacCleod would never have guessed might be in a military facility. He had to stop himself from going over and investigating some of the statuettes on a nearby shelf and paying attention to the smugly grinning Immortal waiting for him.

"MacCleod, how wonderful to see you."

"Methos you better start explaining yourself…"

"All in good time. I believe you'll be going downstairs to get briefed on the whole thing shortly, but first I thought it best we meet, just in case you decided to fly off the handle in the midst of all the nice airmen."

"I'm no' a total idiot."

"Really? I seem to remember from you've dived into rioting mobs to rescue people on more than one occasion."

"I resent the implication." O'Neill said pointedly.

Just then Duncan felt another presence and whipped round to face the door when he saw that Methos felt it too.

A sandy haired man in glasses came in rubbing his head, not even looking up from his book until he was a few steps into the room.

"Oh hello, you must be Duncan. Dr Daniel Jackson."

Daniel proffered a hand and Duncan took warily, unused to such a casual friendship with an Immortal he had never met before.

"Duncan MacCleod of the clan MacCleod."

Daniel seemed to remember himself. "Baraka, though I haven't used that name in some time."

"You're real name's Baraka?" O'Neill asked disbelievingly.

"I'm a little old for an English name Jack."

Duncan glanced between Methos and Dr Jackson. "The Colonel mentioned you know about…?" he gestured vaguely at Methos. "I didn't think anyone knew."

"He should do," Methos grinned. "He was my student."

"Student?" Duncan asked incredulously. "You?"

"I was a great teacher."

Dr Jackson muttered something unintelligible.

"If you're going to cast aspersions on my character you might want to do it in a language I haven't been reading for the past week."

"Just checking you were up to speed." Dr Jackson said innocently.

Methos turned resolutely to face Duncan.

"There is at least one more of us on base: a woman called Sallie Beckett. Tell me you don't have some long past with her."

Duncan considered. "Never heard of her before."

"Good, then we should all get along fine. General Hammond, SG-1 and Dr Fraser are the only ones who know about Immortals here and that was unavoidable, though I'm sure there must be at least one Watcher here for Beckett. She's with SG-13 though so we shouldn't be seeing much of her anyway. I just wanted to make sure we weren't going to have a problem. You seem to have a knack of knowing exactly the wrong people."

Duncan chose to ignore that the last part. "SG-13?"

"I guess it's time you found out what we do here."


	11. Island

Crossover: HL/SG1

Characters: Hammond, Methos, DM, O'Neill, Sam, Daniel, Teal'c, Jacob

For Prompt: 080 Island

Summary: Too valuable an opportunity to miss…

A/N: this is not supposed to be a mission from the show – if the planet number is one they actually went to ignore it.

A/N2: I'm pretty sure DM was a lieutenant at one point at least in the army…if anyone knows he was higher than that in the American army (at any time) let me know.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mission Report – PZ539

**Background**

We learned of the nature of PZ539 from the Tok'ra two months before the mission began. General Carter informed us that the Tok'ra had found a breeding world for the Goa'uld, a kind of hatchery as Colonel O'Neill put it. It was agreed that destroying the facilities on such a world (and perhaps even a Goa'uld queen) would be a severe blow to the Goa'uld, not because the system lords want more Goa'uld competition, but because the larva are pivotal in keeping the Jaffa subservient. However the facility was, understandably, highly fortified, on an island some distance from the mainland which was home to the Stargate. The only people who were ever taken to the island were the Jaffa religious cast who looked after the larva, a hundred or so guards, and those who were to be implanted as priests or priestesses. Small ships left now and then to take larva to the system lords, but these were unarmed cargo ships and so would be unsuitable to try and take the complex with. Any other ships would be immediately caught in the planetary defences and destroyed.

**Plan**

It was agreed that the only way would be to infiltrate the compound as recruits for the religious cast. In order to minimise the chances of being made into Jaffa Colonel O'Neill decided that Adam Pierson and I should be the ones to infiltrate the compound. Once inside we would disarm the defences and send for SG-3 and the rest of SG-1 waiting on the mainland, who would then storm the facility, try and find the queen and set explosives in the key areas. Once set we would steal one of the ships and fly back to the Stargate on the mainland.

To ensure that Dr Pierson and I would not be without military expertise while infiltrating the compound he recruited one Duncan Macleod whom Dr Pierson recommended as an experienced soldier. After passing clearance Mr Macleod regained his former rank of Lieutenant and began working with myself and Dr Pierson on basic Goa'uld language and culture in order to be able to pass amongst the Jaffa.

**Report**

SG-1 and 3 took up positions near the gate in case and Dr Pierson, Lt. Macleod and I successfully infiltrated the compound at 1030 (base time, approx. 1500 planet time). We were taken to a pleasant cell on the fringes of the compound and told to wait amongst the other hopefuls. We could not leave the room without raising suspicion and so waited for the guards to return to start choosing people. We were careful to be seen and Duncan was immediately chosen. He left with the guards and Adam and I continued to wait. After a two others were taken I was chosen and followed the guards down a long corridor going deeper into the heart of the facility. I was left in a plain room that seemed to be something like a miniature temple with a tiny alter (not much bigger than a coffee table) on the far wall. After a few minutes a young priestess enter, holding in front of her an ornate glass or crystal, full of a blue liquid with a Goa'uld inside, twisting spasmodically in the small space. She bid me to kneel in front of the altar and I did as she commanded, the guards shutting the door on us, leaving us alone in the small room. On the altar I saw a device much like the one Hathor used on Colonel O'Neill, but smaller, and once the priestess had laid the jar on the altar with a great deal of ceremony she put it on.

I blacked out when she used the device on me, but when I came too I was alone, lying on the floor on my side, the Goa'uld larva dead and covered in burns on the floor beside me, my stomach whole.

I quickly left the room, heading out into the corridor to find my primary targets: the control room or the generator. The Tok'ra had given us the schematics they had to learn, but there were some things out of place. I eventually found the generator room, two guards incapacitated just inside the door and two more dead a little way from the other entrance, like they had run forward to see what was happening and been cut down by a staff weapon. Lt. Macleod was already at the control panel, unscathed, and pulling out control crystals from the unit. He seemed to be having some trouble, but got the right one as I approached and the shield surrounding the naquita generator fell. Working together we managed to disconnect it and brought it with us as we left, heading towards the control room. Dr Pierson was there before us, several Goa'uld dead or incapacitated, and as soon as he saw us he hit a switch which I took to be sending out the signal we agreed to call the SG teams in.

We stayed where we were, Lt. Macleod keeping guard on the door with a staff weapon taken from one of the bodies and taking out the few guards who came our way. It was perhaps thirty minutes before the rest of SG-1 arrived at the control room, SG-3 fanning out to search the compound and take out as many larva as they could find. They had already found and taken out the queen and a number of tanks of larva. We saw more rooms full of glowing blue tanks as we passed on our way to the hangar and destroyed each one as we passed. Within 10 minutes of their arrival in the control room we were on a ship flying back to the mainland and the Stargate with minimal casualties.

**Evaluation**

Mission objectives completed. However Lt. Macleod will not be staying with us. I would like to note the particular qualities that made him suitable for this mission and recommend he be urged to stay.

I hereby declare the above document is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Signed: Dr Daniel Jackson.


	12. Too Much

Crossover: HL/SG1

Characters: Hammond, Methos, DM, O'Neill, Sam, Daniel, Teal'c, Jacob

For Prompt: 033 Too Much

Summary: sometimes even a successful mission is not good enough.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You're leaving? I never thought I'd see a Macleod leave when there was chance for a good old battle."

Duncan tensed at Methos's presence. "Maybe I'm not the man I once was…"

Methos snorted, coming all the way into the room and helping himself to a seat on the bed next to the suitcase Duncan was packing his things into.

"You're exactly the man you once were. Tall, dark, boy scout, brimming with conscience. You're just freaked by the aliens aren't you?"

"Not the aliens…"

"The military? Normally I'd be with you on that one, but these guys have treated Daniel right for years-"

"Years they didn't know he was Immortal."

"So what you think they're going to turn him in any second?"

Duncan closed his eyes, his hands stilling on the shirt he had been folding as the irritation slowly grew inside him.

"You think they would have volunteered him for that mission if he hadn't been Immortal? He was sitting duck out there Methos! Barely more than basic training and I don't care if he's Immortal with all the experience in the world that man is not a warrior. He should never have been there, Immortal or not."

Methos was getting angry now. Damn boy scout. "He chose it Duncan, no one pushed him. He's a field agent because he is needed and valued and wants to be."

"We were used Methos! Pure and simple! We went there and we died."

"And if we hadn't how many more would have died? How many who weren't going to come back?"

Duncan shook his head, turning his attention back to his packing.

"They know about us and now that they do they will use us as cannon fodder, as expendable, as less than human and I'm not going to stick around for it." He snapped his case shut and hefted it. "I know you don't believe me, but I can't stay here with that looming over me."

Duncan strode to the door.

"See you on the outside Macleod." Methos said, leaning back against the wall, his head cushioned on his head, a self-satisfied smile tweaking the corners of his lips.


	13. Shade

Crossover: SG1/HL/BtVS (soon to be SPN)

Characters: O'Neill, Methos

For Prompt: 075 Shade

Summary: The consequences of lack of subtlety.

At the sound of the door Methos sat up on the thin plank the NID called a bed.

"What took you so long?"

He started pulling on his boots.

"Methos? What are you doing here?"

Daniel quickly stepped into the room and made sure the door was secure behind him.

"Same thing as you I imagine. The NID seem to have got it into their heads that we're somehow immortal, though Jack's attempt at subtly in his last few mission reports may have been a clue. Referring to us as the 'special invulnerable forces' may have been a bit of a clue. Sometimes I wonder if he's just making it up that he used to work in covert ops."

"They kidnapped you too?"

Methos favoured he former student with an incredulous look.

Daniel took his glasses out of his pocket and hid his eyes behind them. "Well, uh, obviously…"

"So are we just waiting around here or are we going to go?"

"Of course!" Daniel turned for the door before spinning back round again. "But first we need to get the test results they have."

"What test results?"

"They haven't taken you to the medical wing yet?"

"No…they took blood?"

Daniel nodded. "Blood, tissue and bone marrow I think. I stuck some gum in the door when they took me out so it wouldn't lock properly when they shut me back in."

Methos froze. "Ingenious," he said dryly, "any idea how we're going to get to those samples and destroy them? Oh, and the test results?"

Daniel turned back to the door, opening it a crack to check the corridor and lowering his voice to a whisper. "I've done this kind of thing loads of times off world. Though it's normally Sam or Jack who come up with the actual plan…"

Methos rolled his eyes at his friend's back, keeping his voice just as low.

"That makes me feel so much better."


	14. Club

Crossover: SG1/HL/BtVS (soon to be SPN)

Characters: O'Neill, Methos

For Prompt: 049 Club

Summary: Methos wants revenge and finds a little extra.

"What are you doing?"

Methos didn't even look up.

"Research," he said with a self-satisfied smile.

Jack hesitated. Methos had been with the team for months now and he was starting to understand how underhand the ancient Immortal could be.

"Research huh? 'I'm a historian thrilled by dust' kind of research or, 'General Hammond can never find out I'm doing this' kind of reseach?"

Methos' smile grew wider and Jack felt he had his answer.

"Hey! I'm the one whose going to get it in the neck if you get caught! The least you could do is tell me what's so interesting."

"No…the least I could do is nothing and that's exactly what I'm planning on."

Jack made no move to leave. Sooner or later Methos was going to have to understand that superior age did not mean superior rank.

Methos glanced up, looked unimpressed. Glanced up again and looked mildly annoyed. Glanced up once more and looked on the verge of exasperation.

"Fine! I'm hacking in to the NIDs files."

"What?!"

Jack hurried over, leaning over his team-mate to get a look at the screen, but all it was showing was some long dry end-of-project evaluation report. He couldn't even tell whether it was a mission he was familiar with as they only referred to it as "the Initiative".

"How the hell did you get into the NIDs files? Not even Carter could do that."

"So the SGC has tried then. I did wonder." Methos smirked in an irritatingly smug way. "It was difficult, but then I felt it was fair pay-back after all the trouble they went to to get our reports-"

"They have legitimate access to our mission reports."

"Pay-back for the abduction then. Either way they make some very interesting reading."

Jack found that unlikely. What the NID was up to was almost invariably interesting, but interesting reading? He'd read mission reports before, probably hundreds of the things by now, and he had never found a single one an interesting read. It's why nowadays he just got Daniel or Carter to give him the highlights – it saved a lot of pain on both sides. His, because he didn't have to read it, and them, because they didn't have to listen to him complain about reading it.

"What have you got?" He asked his supposedly subordinate.

"They've been investigating the occult."

Jack stood back from the screen, tired of squinting at it under the base's fluorescent lights.

"Seriously?"

Methos nodded, peeling himself away from the screen to face Jack.

"And in proper NID fashion they waded in without knowing anything and managed to make an already delicate situation almost apocalyptic. Lost almost a whole base of men too, down in California."

Jack wasn't sure what to think. Oh he could believe that the NID would end up screwing up any mission they had, it was just…the occult?

"So what, they got beaten to death by some angry hippies with ouija boards?"

Methos sighed. "'There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio'…for one thing you're having this discussion with an Immortal and fight aliens for a living."

"Hey there's all kinds of…" Jack waved his hands vaguely, "science that explain aliens. Carter's got books of the stuff! I don't see proof of vampires and magic anywhere." Jack caught Methos's impatient look and quickly gave it up. "Fine, I give in! Everything the Sci Fi Channel has been trying to tell us is true!"

Methos shrugged. "Not everything, but most of it. The important thing is that the NID have no idea what they found."

Jack knew he was being baited, but he couldn't help it. "What did they find?"

Methos grinned. "Our last best hope…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N: continued in my story Yellow! An HL/SPN(/BtVS) crossover


End file.
